𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝! Thank you to everyone who joined us in Dublin last night for the launch of 𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑩𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝑴𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑨𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝑰𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅. To the mothers who shared their testimonies — this is your voice. It is time for your stories to be heard. You speak not only for yourselves, but for the hundreds of mothers who have contacted the Alliance of Birth Mothers Campaigning for Justice describing their experiences of the system. In his endorsement, John McGuinness TD wrote: “This book gives voice to birth mothers whose experiences within the child protection and family court system have too often been ignored or minimised. Through my work with many mothers, I have seen first hand the profound harm caused when systems intended to protect children fail to listen, reflect, or correct course. I have said in the Dáil that unless meaningful reform is undertaken now, the State will in time be forced to issue apologies for what has occurred. Justice for Birth Mothers is an important and timely contribution to ensuring those mistakes are acknowledged and not repeated.” The link to purchase the book: amazon.ie/Justice-Birth-Moth…

TUSLA AND THE FAMILY COURTS: WHY DO THOSE WITH POWER TO CONFRONT INSTITUTIONAL FAILURE FAIL TO DELIVER CHANGE? In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare’s Cassius tells Brutus: “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” Power is sustained not only by those who exercise it, but by the inaction of those who could challenge it. The parallel with Ireland’s handling of Tusla and the family courts is striking. Governments have heard warnings about children in care, parents’ treatment, safeguarding and whistleblowers through judgments, Oireachtas debates, inspections and families’ testimony. The problems are known. Why do remedies so rarely follow? WHEN COURT ORDERS DO NOT PRODUCE PROTECTION High Court cases have exposed children at risk of exploitation and drug-related harm without available special care placements. Judges have criticised failures to implement orders. A court order is not a suggestion. Staffing shortages may explain difficulties, but explanations are not accountability. Responsibility cannot disappear between Tusla, Government and the courts. FAMILY COURTS: PRIVACY AND SCRUTINY Family court decisions shape childhoods. The in-camera rule protects privacy, but must not obstruct scrutiny. Judicial independence matters, as do adequate laws and safeguards. Judgments have stressed fairness, children’s views and parents’ rights to challenge evidence. But how many families can afford litigation? Inaccessible rights offer limited protection. WHEN OVERSIGHT REPLACES ACTION Ireland has plenty of reports, inspections and hearings. Ministers express concern, agencies promise improvement and recommendations follow. But were recommendations implemented? Were children made safer? Did families obtain remedies? Where misconduct was established, did consequences follow? A parliamentary hearing is not a remedy. A ministerial assurance is not a safeguard. A recommendation is not reform until it is implemented and shown to work. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE IRISH BODY POLITIC Tusla, ministers, civil servants, parliamentarians, regulators and judges have distinct responsibilities. Those distinctions matter, but must not become excuses for endlessly passing responsibility elsewhere. When failures occur, who knew, who could act and what was done? This demands institutional responsibility, not political interference in court decisions. THE HUMAN COST Behind the language of governance and capacity are traumatised children, separated parents and professionals raising concerns. An apology cannot restore a year of childhood. Parents unjustly separated from children cannot recover lost years after an error is acknowledged. Accountability means human outcomes, not procedures. WHISTLEBLOWERS AND SILENCE Whistleblowers deserve fair examination, not retaliation or exposure. If speaking out risks careers, others may remain silent. When children’s safety is at stake, silence can be devastating. HAS FAILURE BECOME NORMAL? A disturbing case emerges. There is outrage. Questions are asked in the Oireachtas. A minister expresses concern. A review is announced. Attention moves on. Then another case emerges. The danger is that the political system becomes better at managing controversy than resolving its causes. Promises of reform become routine, and the extraordinary becomes normal. Many professionals are dedicated. Child protection is complex, but that cannot excuse persistent failure. Problems must be investigated, remedied and prevented from recurring. Shakespeare’s challenge remains: we must examine not only what Tusla and the family courts do, but what those entrusted with overseeing them fail to do. Have those with the power to confront institutional failure become so accustomed to it that their own inaction is now part of the problem? Until that question is confronted, the distance between political promises and justice for children and families may remain as wide as ever.

BREAKING NEWS: SENATOR SHARON KEOGAN CALLS FOR TUSLA TO BE ABOLISHED OVER “TOTAL MORAL COLLAPSE” Senator Sharon Keogan has called for Tusla to be abolished and rebuilt from the ground up following disturbing High Court revelations concerning children in State care. Addressing Seanad Éireann, she described the situation as a “total moral collapse”, insisting that failures to protect vulnerable children could no longer be explained by inadequate funding. She highlighted the case of a 16-year-old boy who reportedly vomited almost 40 bags of crack cocaine and was reported missing, and a 17-year-old girl subjected to what she called “industrial-scale sexual exploitation”, with taxis allegedly collecting her from her State care placement. €1.4 BILLION BUDGET Senator Keogan questioned how Tusla, with a budget she put at €1.4 billion, could continue to fail children facing serious danger. Citing figures she attributed to Tusla’s accounts, she said the agency spends over €70 million annually on office and administration costs, including more than €13 million on rent, alongside €43.8 million in legal expenditure. HALF OF SPECIAL CARE BEDS UNAVAILABLE She said approximately half of Ireland’s 26 designated special care beds were unavailable because of staffing difficulties, leaving some children without placements even where the High Court had ordered protective care. She contrasted this with €38 million spent on special emergency arrangements and €359 million paid to independent, for-profit placement providers. She questioned how much of the latter expenditure became corporate profit, arguing that public money was flowing to commercial interests while frontline services struggled. “WE ARE STARVING THE FRONTLINE” “We are starving the frontline to enrich external asset holders, legal teams and private care companies. This is State-sanctioned neglect,” she declared. “Children do not consent to chaos, and they should not be subjected to a system that acts as a conveyor belt for exploitation.” MINISTERIAL ACCOUNTABILITY Senator Keogan criticised Minister Norma Foley, claiming she had not attended the Seanad for a Commencement matter since the beginning of the current Dáil. Rejecting further reviews, committees and minor policy changes, she called for the existing agency to be dismantled and replaced with a system that genuinely protects children. Her contribution raises an urgent question: how can an agency with such substantial funding fail to deliver essential protective placements for children at serious risk? The expenditure figures and criticisms above are those presented by Senator Keogan, rather than independently verified findings. Her central message was unequivocal: children in State care need protection, not another review of a failing system. WATCH: Senator Sharon Keogan’s contribution to Seanad Éireann.

TUSLA SPECIAL CARE CRISIS: BOY WHO VOMITED ALMOST 40 BAGS OF CRACK COCAINE MISSING AS HALF OF SECURE BEDS REMAIN CLOSED An RTÉ News report published on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, highlights serious concerns about the safety of extremely vulnerable children who cannot access specialist care because of continuing staff shortages within Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The High Court heard that a boy who vomited up almost 40 bags of crack cocaine and is also using fentanyl is now missing. Despite the grave risks to his life and welfare, no special care bed is available for him. The court was also informed that no special care places were available for two teenage girls, including a 14-year-old who was being sexually exploited by multiple men. Tusla has 26 designated special care beds across its secure facilities, but only 13 are currently operational because of staffing shortages. This means that half of the State’s specialist beds for children facing the most extreme risks remain unavailable. Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, Julie Ahern, Deputy Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance, expressed serious concern for the missing boy’s safety and welfare. She said these cases demonstrate wider failures within Ireland’s child protection system, with some of the country’s most vulnerable children repeatedly being let down. Ahern explained that special care is intended as a final safety net for children with exceptionally complex needs who require intensive therapeutic intervention in a secure environment. Because such placements involve restricting a child’s liberty, they must be authorised by the High Court. She described the shortage of special care places as a longstanding problem arising from inadequate investment in child protection and welfare services. According to Ahern, HIQA has repeatedly highlighted the consequences of underinvestment, particularly the shortage of suitably qualified staff. She argued that improved pay, working conditions and staff retention are essential to attracting experienced professionals capable of supporting children who have experienced severe trauma. She also warned that Tusla’s budget has not kept pace with growing demand, leaving services increasingly overwhelmed by children presenting with more serious and complex needs. Ahern emphasised that children should ideally receive appropriate support within their communities before their circumstances deteriorate to the point where secure special care becomes necessary. However, she said insufficient investment in early intervention and prevention has contributed to a system operating in a continuing state of crisis, responding to emergencies rather than preventing them. The report raises profound questions about the State’s ability to protect children facing immediate dangers from drug misuse, criminal exploitation and sexual abuse. The central concern is that children whose circumstances are so dangerous that they require the highest level of State protection cannot access that protection because Tusla does not have sufficient staff to operate half of its designated special care beds.

MINISTER FOLEY WELCOMES GOVERNMENT APPROVAL TO STRENGTHEN PROTECTIONS FOR CHILDREN AGAINST SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE. IS THIS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE? Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley has welcomed Government approval to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, aimed at protecting children from sexual exploitation, the sale of children and child sexual abuse material. In a press release issued on 3 November 2026, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality described the decision as an important milestone in Ireland’s commitment to protecting children from exploitation, abuse and harm. The Government said several pieces of legislation had been introduced to bring Ireland into compliance with the Protocol, including the Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences Against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012, the Children First Act 2015, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024. Minister Foley stated that children have the right to be protected from exploitation, abuse and harm, adding that ratification would demonstrate Ireland’s commitment to ensuring children’s rights are protected, respected and promoted. A particularly significant aspect of the announcement is the provision allowing children, or their representatives, to bring complaints to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child where they believe their rights under the Second Optional Protocol have been violated. This complaints mechanism operates through the Third Optional Protocol, which Ireland has already ratified. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee said ratification would reinforce Ireland’s international commitment to children’s rights ahead of the country’s three-year term on the UN Human Rights Council, beginning in 2027. Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan welcomed the decision, saying Ireland’s legislative framework had been significantly strengthened to address child sexual exploitation, abuse and trafficking, while improving support for victims. The Government has approved ratification, but the announcement does not confirm that the ratification process has been completed. While the announcement represents a further international commitment to children’s rights, the effectiveness of these protections will ultimately depend on their implementation, enforcement and the ability of children to obtain meaningful remedies when their rights are violated.

BRITAIN'S RAPE GANG INQUIRY: A WARNING FOR IRELAND, TUSLA AND THE AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING CHILDREN A 219-page British inquiry report into organised child sexual exploitation describes children groomed, raped, trafficked and repeatedly failed by the State institutions meant to protect them. The report, chaired by MP Rupert Lowe with survivor campaigner Sammy Woodhouse, was independently funded, survivor-led and had no statutory powers. It is not an official judicial inquiry. It does not examine Ireland, Tusla or An Garda Síochána. The lessons below are our analysis, not its findings on Irish institutions. Its central warning: the existence of child protection agencies does not guarantee children are protected. CHILDREN IN CARE – BUT WERE THEY SAFE? Survivors described perpetrators collecting girls outside residential homes, staff allegedly knowing, and children repeatedly going missing without effective intervention. Some were as young as 11. Removing a child into care is not proof the child is safer. The State must show the placement delivers real protection. CHILDREN TREATED AS PROBLEMS, NOT VICTIMS Children who went missing, drank or used drugs were blamed. A child's difficult behaviour may signal distress, fear, coercion or abuse. Agencies must investigate what is happening, not just control the behaviour. PARENTS AND WHISTLEBLOWERS ALLEGEDLY SILENCED Parents who warned authorities said they were ignored or treated as obstacles. Whistleblowers alleged retaliation. A child protection system cannot function if those who raise the alarm are treated as the problem. CAVEATS The report focuses on networks of men of Pakistani heritage and makes sweeping claims about Islam and immigration. Evidence of offending by particular networks cannot establish collective responsibility for a religious or ethnic community. Its figure of 250,000 victims is an extrapolation from a 2019 House of Lords question, not a verified count. Its proposals, including repealing the Human Rights Act, deporting offenders' families and a possible referendum on capital punishment, need separate scrutiny. Ireland can learn from the evidence without adopting that programme. WHAT IRELAND SHOULD EXAMINE 1. Reporting: The Children First Act 2015 imposes reporting duties, but does a report lead to timely assessment and protection? 2. Tusla accountability: In October 2026 the High Court criticised failures to provide special care placements despite judicial directions. Only about half of Tusla's 26 designated beds were operational. A court order issued is not protection delivered. 3. HIQA: Does it need stronger powers to enforce standards across the wider system? 4. Whistleblowers: Is the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 (amended 2022) effective in practice? 5. Child witnesses: Do children in abuse allegations get specialist interviewing, representation and protection from retraumatisation, including in family courts? 6. Prevention: Can Gardaí and Tusla share intelligence lawfully and act early when children repeatedly go missing from care? 7. Data: Do datasets show whether children are actually safer after concerns are raised? 8. Redress: Do survivors have accessible routes to records, investigation and remedies? THE CENTRAL QUESTION A warning recorded is not a child protected. A referral made is not an investigation completed. And a child placed in State care is not necessarily a child made safe. Who knew a child was at risk? What was done? Was the child protected? And where protection failed, who was held accountable? Ireland must learn before more children suffer preventable harm.

“𝐀 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦, 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨.” Speaking during this morning’s Dáil debate on Aontú’s motion concerning an inquiry into protected disclosures, Sinn Féin TD Rose Conway-Walsh delivered a strongly critical assessment of Ireland’s whistleblower protection system, arguing that legislation intended to protect those who expose wrongdoing is instead being used to identify, isolate, discredit and penalise them. Deputy Conway-Walsh said that when the Protected Disclosures Act was introduced, it was presented as legislation designed to protect individuals who spoke out about wrongdoing. However, she argued that its application has frequently had the opposite effect, leaving whistleblowers exposed to severe personal and professional consequences. She highlighted the case of Margaret Loftus, who made a protected disclosure to Fiosrú in 2020 concerning the Garda handling of domestic abuse cases. According to the TD, the disclosure was subsequently handed over, through a court order, to the organisation and individuals against whom the allegations had been made, before the matters had even been investigated. Six years later, the disclosure has reached the recommendations stage, with recommendations expected to be forwarded to the Garda Commissioner shortly. However, Conway-Walsh expressed outrage that Margaret Loftus has no entitlement to see those recommendations or to establish whether they are ever implemented. She described the six-year process endured by the whistleblower as “hellish”, questioning how a system could claim to protect individuals while denying them knowledge of the outcome of their own disclosures. The Sinn Féin TD also referred to the tragic death of Garda Detective Colm Horkan, stressing the importance of properly examining concerns relating to equipment, operational risks and public safety. She expressed her support for the Horkan family’s campaign for a public inquiry, arguing that families who have lost loved ones deserve answers to the fundamental question of whether their deaths could have been prevented. Conway-Walsh maintained that the purpose of protected disclosures must be to prevent wrongdoing, minimise harm and safeguard the public interest, rather than protect the reputations of powerful institutions. She argued that a whistleblower protection system should be judged by whether individuals can report concerns without fear, whether identified risks are addressed and whether meaningful lessons are learned. In one of the strongest passages of her contribution, she declared: “A society that punishes those who speak the truth does not have a whistleblower protection system, so stop pretending that we do.” She warned that the treatment of whistleblowers sends a chilling message to others who might consider exposing wrongdoing: stay quiet, keep your head down and protect your employment. Concluding her contribution, Deputy Conway-Walsh accused successive Ministers for Justice of failing to accept responsibility for the shortcomings of the protected disclosures system. She insisted that the current Minister must take responsibility for correcting these failures rather than allowing departments and institutions to disclaim responsibility.

IRELAND’S CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM HAS BEEN COMPARED TO A GAME OF JENGA. In a powerful opinion piece in today’s Irish Times, Sinéad O’Sullivan describes a system in which responsibility is spread across multiple State agencies, leaving dangerous gaps in the protection of vulnerable children. As the blocks become unstable, the entire structure risks collapse. And when the system collapses, it is the children who pay the price. O’Sullivan formerly served as the head of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School. DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS ANALOGY?

IRELAND’S CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM IS A GAME OF JENGA – CHILDREN LEFT IN GRAVE DANGER AS TUSLA AND STATE AGENCIES FAIL TO DELIVER PROTECTION A damning commentary by Sinéad O’Sullivan argues that decades of institutional failure, fragmented responsibility and staffing shortages have left vulnerable children exposed to sexual exploitation, serious drug abuse and potentially fatal harm. O’Sullivan formerly headed the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School. In today’s Irish Times, she highlights three disturbing High Court cases in which children urgently requiring special care could not be accommodated despite court orders directing their protection. One involves a 14-year-old girl being severely sexually exploited by a group of men. Another concerns a boy who vomited 37 bags of crack cocaine concealed from Gardaí. He is also using fentanyl and faces serious risk of death from drug use or drug debts. Judge John Jordan stated that the boy would not be using fentanyl had Tusla complied with the court order requiring his placement in special care. A third case involves a 17-year-old girl found unresponsive on a roadside. She attended hospital complaining of pelvic pain but could not remember what had happened. Despite the seriousness of these cases, Tusla could not provide the court-ordered placements. Ireland has 26 designated special care beds, but only 13 were operational in October because of staffing shortages. HIQA has also prohibited further admissions to Crannog Nua, the State’s largest special care unit, because of continuing staffing and safety concerns. O’Sullivan argues that the failures are not simply about money or facilities. They reflect a dysfunctional system in which responsibility is scattered across seven State bodies. These include Tusla, the Department of Children, the Department of Public Expenditure, the HSE, HIQA, the courts and the Department of Justice. Each has its own leadership, budgets and priorities, but no single authority is ultimately accountable for ensuring vulnerable children receive protection. O’Sullivan compares this arrangement to a game of Jenga, with responsibilities distributed across institutions, leaving dangerous gaps when their functions fail to connect. Tusla received 106,444 referrals in 2025, more than double the number a decade earlier. The article describes this as approximately one referral for every 23 children in Ireland, although referrals do not necessarily represent individual children. Tusla’s 2026 budget stands at €1.46 billion, an increase of €188 million, alongside reported cost savings of €112.7 million. O’Sullivan questions how such expenditure can coexist with staffing shortages, unavailable beds and court findings of non-compliance. She challenges the assumption that more funding alone will resolve the crisis, arguing that housing shortages and wider public-service capacity problems undermine recruitment and retention of essential workers. Another powerful argument concerns the normalisation of institutional failure. Ireland has become so accustomed to crises in housing, healthcare and child protection that even children facing life-threatening circumstances no longer generate the public outrage they should. Children already facing sexual exploitation, addiction and criminal influences must now confront another obstacle: the State institutions legally responsible for protecting them. O’Sullivan calls for immediate structural reform, including a single oversight body and an identifiable individual accountable when children are denied legally required protection. She also demands an urgent accounting of how many children the State was legally obliged to protect but failed to safeguard. Her central message is that Ireland’s child protection crisis is not simply about inadequate resources. Responsibility is so fragmented that children can suffer devastating harm while nobody is ultimately held accountable.

GIRL IN TUSLA CARE ALLEGEDLY SEXUALLY EXPLOITED BY UP TO 30 ADULT MEN, COURT HEARS A report in today’s Irish Times by Kitty Holland, Wednesday, 4 November 2026, reveals shocking evidence presented to the Dublin District Childcare Court concerning the sexual exploitation of a teenage girl in the care of Tusla. Judge Conor Fottrell was told that the girl, who has been in Tusla’s care since earlier this year, was being brought to hotels and private residences for sex with up to 30 adult males in exchange for alcohol and drugs. The judge described the allegations as child sexual exploitation on a scale he had never previously encountered in court, calling the situation horrific. The teenager’s court-appointed guardian ad litem, Sarah O’Reilly, told the court that an older man had declined to have sex with the girl because she was too young but had subsequently arranged for other men to sexually exploit her. The court heard that the girl had contracted a number of sexually transmitted infections, had been assaulted by a man and had been using cocaine, cannabis, barbiturates, amphetamines and antidepressants. Her absences from her care placement had escalated since September, placing her at increasing risk. Sarah O’Reilly told the court that the teenager needed a special care placement to provide the intensive therapeutic support and protection she required. However, Tusla’s special care committee had decided on 13 October not to seek a High Court order for her admission to special care. The committee was due to reconsider the decision in November. The court heard that the girl’s current placement could not provide the level of safety and containment she required. Judge Fottrell described the circumstances as horrendous and said the teenager’s situation required a high level of therapeutic input, which she would not receive until she was placed in special care. He also expressed concern about the wider problem of sexual exploitation of children in State care, observing that the issue was recurring before the courts. The judge said it was appalling that children, predominantly girls, were being exploited at such a horrific level. He requested a Garda report on investigations into the alleged sexual exploitation of the teenager. The case highlights the extreme dangers facing vulnerable children in State care and the urgent need for appropriate protective and therapeutic placements.

TUSLA UNDER FIRE: CHILDREN FACE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND DRUG-RELATED DEATH WHILE SPECIAL CARE BEDS LIE CLOSED A report in today’s Irish Times by Kitty Holland reveals that a 16-year-old boy who vomited up approximately 40 bags of crack cocaine remains without a special care bed, despite a High Court order requiring his detention in a secure facility. The boy, who is using fentanyl and is described as being at serious risk of death, is one of several extremely vulnerable children for whom Tusla has been unable to secure appropriate special care placements. The High Court heard that three children are currently being held in highly dangerous circumstances, with Tusla failing to comply with court orders directing that they receive specialist care. One of the most disturbing cases involves a 14-year-old girl who is being sexually abused by multiple men while continuing to use drugs. The court heard that she had been offered cocaine in exchange for sexual activity and had little memory of events when brought to hospital. Barrister Sarah McKechnie told the court that the boy who swallowed the crack cocaine had been warned that he would be handed over to the Gardaí if the drugs were mentioned. He subsequently became distressed and cried when Gardaí arrived. Mr Justice John Jordan expressed serious frustration at the continuing failure to provide special care placements, describing the situation as one in which children were being left in danger while the authorities failed to take effective action. The court also heard that staffing shortages are preventing Tusla from operating its full complement of special care beds. HIQA has restricted admissions because of concerns about staffing levels and the safety of children already accommodated. Only 13 of Tusla's 26 designated special care beds are currently operational, leaving half the national capacity unavailable despite High Court orders requiring vulnerable children to be detained for their protection. The court was told that HIQA has prohibited further admissions to Crannóg Nua, the largest special care unit, because of continuing staffing and safety concerns. In an extraordinary intervention, Mr Justice Jordan lifted the in-camera rule in the three children's cases to allow contempt proceedings to be pursued against Tusla for its alleged failure to comply with court orders. The judge said the obvious solution was improved pay and working conditions for special care staff. He criticised the continued failure of Tusla and Government to resolve the crisis, insisting that the children needed someone to speak for them. The report exposes a deeply troubling failure of the State's child protection system: three children facing extreme risks of drug-related death, sexual exploitation and serious harm remain without the secure care ordered by the High Court. The judge's intervention raises urgent questions about Tusla's compliance with court orders, Government accountability and the continuing failure to provide adequate special care capacity for some of Ireland's most vulnerable children.

IRISH BIRTH MOTHERS’ ADVOCATE ADDRESSES WESTMINSTER PARLIAMENTARY SUMMIT, RAISING SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT TUSLA AND THE TREATMENT OF GARDA WHISTLEBLOWERS Serious allegations of wrongdoing within Ireland’s child protection and family court systems, together with concerns about the treatment of Garda whistleblowers, were brought before a parliamentary summit at the Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London, on Monday, 2 November 2026. Anna Kavanagh, Co-founder and Convenor of the Alliance of Birth Mothers Campaigning for Justice, addressed the summit, highlighting the case of a young Irish boy who disclosed alleged physical and sexual abuse, a mother who attempted to protect him, and Garda officers who raised concerns about the handling of the case by State authorities. The summit, entitled “Why We Must Protect the Wellbeing of Whistleblowers”, was organised by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Investment Fraud and Fairer Financial Services and held in Committee Room 14 of the House of Commons. Dedicated to the memory of Simon Andriesz, the event brought together parliamentarians, whistleblowers and campaigners. Speakers included John McDonnell MP and Baroness Jenny Jones, a member of the House of Lords and former Deputy Mayor of London. The case of a boy referred to by the pseudonym Patrick was raised in Dáil Éireann in July 2025 by Deputy Peadar Tóibín, who outlined serious allegations concerning the misrepresentation of professional evidence in family court proceedings. According to the account presented to the Dáil, a Tusla social worker informed the court that a court-appointed psychologist had indicated she did not believe Patrick’s allegations of sexual abuse. However, the psychologist subsequently confirmed in an email that she had made no such statement and that the social worker’s account of their telephone conversation, as presented to the court, was false. In fact, the psychologist had considered Patrick’s disclosures sufficiently serious to refer him to Tusla and contact An Garda Síochána. Despite the allegations against his father, custody was awarded to the father in 2022. Patrick and his mother have not seen each other since. Kavanagh told the summit that she personally knows the mother and raised the case directly with Tusla CEO Kate Duggan at a meeting in 2024, and subsequently with senior Department of Children officials in 2025. Kavanagh also highlighted the treatment of a Garda whistleblower who raised concerns about alleged falsification of evidence and suspected wrongdoing by State officials in their handling of Patrick’s case. According to the Garda’s account, rather than having his concerns independently investigated, he faced intimidation, disciplinary threats and allegations concerning his conduct within An Garda Síochána. Despite requesting confidentiality, his identity was disclosed by the Department of Justice, which subsequently issued a written apology in 2023. Serious questions remain about whistleblower protection, independent investigations and accountability when allegations of wrongdoing are raised against State institutions. Kavanagh emphasised that legal protections for whistleblowers are meaningless unless they operate effectively in practice. She warned that silencing whistleblowers can have devastating consequences, particularly where vulnerable children depend on others to raise concerns about their welfare. Concluding her contribution, Kavanagh delivered a stark warning: “When whistleblowers are silenced, those they seek to protect suffer. Patrick is forced to live with the man he accused of sexually abusing him.” The Westminster summit provided an important international platform for highlighting concerns about Ireland’s child protection system, family courts, the treatment of Garda whistleblowers and the urgent need for effective independent oversight and institutional accountability.

Thanks to @jackpowerIT for this Analysis -For me Crux of the Article is that While ‘Peace Enforcement’ is Not ‘New’ for Ireland (Somalia, East Timor, KFOR etc) ‘Peace Enforcement’ WITHOUT A UN Mandate is New & De Facto Ends Our Neutral Status #Referendum irishtimes.com/ireland/2026/…

𝗜𝗳 𝗧𝘂𝘀𝗹𝗮 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻, 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀? An investigation published in the Irish Daily Mail on Saturday, 31 October 2026, by political correspondent Muiris Ó Cearbhaill has revealed that a Tusla employee improperly accessed confidential records relating to three siblings murdered by their brother in Tallaght, Dublin, in September 2022. The employee accessed the files of 18-year-old Lisa Cash and her younger twin siblings, Christy and Chelsea Cawley, aged eight, approximately one week after their deaths. The three children were murdered by their brother, Andy Cash, who subsequently pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three life sentences. An internal Tusla investigation concluded that the employee had accessed the highly sensitive information out of “misplaced curiosity”, following extensive media coverage of the murders. The employee used Tusla's electronic case management system to search for and view the children's records without any legitimate professional reason. The incident was detected approximately one week later and referred to the Data Protection Commission (DPC), which considered it a low-risk breach. 22 INCIDENTS OF UNAUTHORISED ACCESS The newspaper reveals that this was not an isolated incident. Internal Tusla records obtained by the Mail identified 22 instances between 2022 and 2026 in which staff members improperly accessed confidential information about service users. These included: The files of murdered children Lisa Cash, Christy Cawley and Chelsea Cawley. Confidential records relating to missing schoolboy Kyran Durnin, including inappropriate access around the time Gardaí launched a murder investigation into his disappearance. A case in which a female Tusla employee accessed her daughter's then-boyfriend's records in 2023. Despite these breaches, the newspaper reports that none of the recorded incidents resulted in professional sanctions, suspensions or dismissals. Instead, staff were required to undergo renewed data protection training after being caught. CONCERNS OVER CHILDREN'S PRIVACY Labour Party spokesperson on children Mark Wall described the revelations as a serious safeguarding and confidentiality issue, calling for a detailed review of how Tusla protects sensitive information. He questioned what deterrent exists when employees who improperly access confidential records face no disciplinary consequences. Social Democrats TD Aidan Peadar Tóibín also criticised the lack of clarity surrounding whether staff members faced consequences for accessing information without authorisation. Tusla stated that its systems tightly control access to records and that it notifies the Data Protection Commission of relevant breaches. However, the DPC confirmed that investigations generally commence only where there is evidence of serious organisational failures in data protection practices. QUESTIONS OVER ACCOUNTABILITY The revelations raise significant concerns about confidentiality, staff accountability and the protection of vulnerable children and families whose most sensitive personal information is held by Tusla. Particularly troubling is the apparent absence of disciplinary sanctions despite repeated instances of employees accessing records without legitimate professional reasons. The latest investigation follows separate revelations concerning unauthorised access to Kyran Durnin's records, adding to questions about Tusla's internal oversight and its ability to safeguard confidential information.

MP presses FCA over whistleblower review after Andriesz death: moneymarketing.co.uk/news/mp… @johnmcdonnellMP

OCTOBER 2026: A MONTH OF DISTURBING REVELATIONS ABOUT TUSLA, IRELAND’S CHILD AND FAMILY AGENCY.

TUSLA MUST ADDRESS DECADE-LONG STAFFING CRISIS AND RESTORE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE — SINN FÉIN TD CATHY BENNETT In an interview on Northern Sound earlier this week, serious concerns were raised by Sinn Féin TD Cathy Bennett about Tusla's continuing failure to provide adequate special-care services for some of Ireland's most vulnerable children. Deputy Bennett has called on Tusla to take proactive action to address longstanding problems, particularly staff shortages and high staff turnover. She highlighted that for the past decade, Tusla has consistently struggled to operate its full complement of 26 special-care beds, with only approximately half to two-thirds available at any given time. These beds are intended for extremely vulnerable children whose circumstances require intensive, secure therapeutic care. Deputy Bennett stressed that Tusla has an exceptionally important responsibility to protect vulnerable children and that the public is entitled to expect the highest standards of care. She warned that there is an urgent need to restore public confidence in Ireland's Child and Family Agency. Rather than responding to crises only when they generate national headlines, Tusla must identify and address underlying problems before they escalate. Her comments come amid continuing concerns about the shortage of special-care placements, with only 13 of the 26 designated beds operational in recent reports. The central issue is that a staffing crisis which has persisted for approximately ten years remains unresolved, despite repeated warnings about its consequences for vulnerable children. Deputy Bennett's intervention raises a fundamental question: Why has Tusla been unable to resolve a longstanding staffing problem that directly affects its ability to protect children at serious risk of harm?

TUSLA'S PROTECTIVE SERVICES UNIT INVOLVED IN GARDA INVESTIGATION INTO SHOCKING SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST PROMINENT KERRY FIGURE An exclusive front-page investigation in this week's Kerry's Eye, Thursday, 29 October 2026, by Chief Reporter Donal O'Connor, reveals that Gardaí have launched a major investigation into serious allegations of sexual coercion, organised sex acts and drug dealing involving a well-known public figure in Kerry. The allegations were made by the man's wife, who claims she was coerced into non-consensual sexual activities and organised sex gatherings involving other adults. She further alleges that her husband sourced and supplied cocaine to participants. Of particular significance is the involvement of Tusla's specialist Protective Services Unit in the Garda investigation. According to the newspaper, detectives from the unit met the man and questioned him about the allegations. However, he was not arrested and agreed to cooperate with Gardaí. The report also reveals that Gardaí have raised concerns about the couple's children, although the precise nature of those concerns is not disclosed. No allegations of wrongdoing have been made against the children. The man, who is described as a prominent and highly respected figure in Kerry's business, political and community circles, has not been publicly identified. The investigation is reportedly at an early stage, and no criminal charges have been announced. The allegations are extremely serious, particularly given the reported involvement of Tusla's Protective Services Unit and concerns regarding children. However, the newspaper does not establish that Tusla failed in its safeguarding responsibilities, nor does it provide sufficient information to determine what protective measures may have been necessary. The investigation remains ongoing. The allegations have not been proven, and the man is entitled to the presumption of innocence.

TUSLA STAFF INVESTIGATED FOR ACCESSING CONFIDENTIAL CHILDREN’S FILES — AT LEAST 22 EMPLOYEES FACE PROBES OVER PRIVACY BREACHES An exclusive investigation in today’s Irish Daily Mail, Friday, 30 October 2026, by Political Correspondent Muiris Ó Cearbhaill reveals that at least 22 individuals working with Tusla have been investigated for allegedly accessing confidential personal information without legitimate professional reasons. The revelations raise serious questions about data protection, confidentiality and the safeguarding of highly sensitive information held by Ireland’s Child and Family Agency. According to records obtained by the newspaper, the incidents occurred between 2022 and 2026, despite Tusla repeatedly introducing measures intended to prevent employees from accessing files without authorisation. Among the most disturbing findings are cases involving employees accessing sensitive records for personal reasons. In one incident, a Tusla employee searched confidential care records relating to her daughter’s boyfriend. In another case, a student undertaking work placement with Tusla was found to have misused access to search the confidential file of a fellow student. A separate investigation concerned a staff member who accessed records on behalf of a friend whose estranged wife was the subject of the file. Another case involved a worker who accessed confidential information about two colleagues. The investigation also uncovered an incident involving a staff member who allegedly accessed and viewed multiple confidential case records containing sensitive personal information. This was classified as a high-risk breach. The revelations follow yesterday’s Irish Daily Mail investigation into inappropriate access to the confidential records of missing schoolboy Kyran Durnin. That investigation revealed that more than 20 Tusla employees had been examined over allegations of accessing Kyran’s records, including during the period when Gardaí launched a murder investigation into his disappearance. Some employees reportedly claimed they had legitimate reasons for accessing the files, although concerns were raised about whether those explanations were justified. The newspaper reports that Tusla has faced repeated data protection concerns over several years. In 2020, the Data Protection Commission investigated allegations involving multiple procedural breaches and complaints about inappropriate access to files. In another case, Tusla was required to pay €20,000 following an investigation, although it was only obliged to make that payment after initially failing to pay a €50,000 fine. The agency has also introduced additional controls, audits and staff training in response to previous breaches. A Tusla spokesperson said the agency treats its obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation extremely seriously and applies robust controls to protect confidential information. Tusla confirmed that investigations into inappropriate access can result in disciplinary sanctions and that certain breaches have been referred to the Data Protection Commission. However, the newspaper reports that the outcomes of some investigations remain unclear, including whether employees faced disciplinary consequences. The central issue is whether Tusla's repeated assurances about confidentiality and data protection are matched by effective oversight, accountability and meaningful consequences for those who misuse access to sensitive records. The latest revelations raise particularly serious concerns because Tusla holds some of the most private information imaginable about vulnerable children, birth parents and families involved in the child protection and family law systems. The public is entitled to know how widespread these breaches have been, what disciplinary action has followed and why previous safeguards have apparently failed to prevent further incidents.

TUSLA STAFF SNOOPED ON MISSING BOY KYRAN DURNIN’S FILES AS GARDAÍ LAUNCHED MURDER INVESTIGATION An exclusive report in today’s Irish Daily Mail (29 October 2026) by political correspondent Muiris Ó Cearbhaill reveals that Tusla investigated employees for inappropriately accessing highly sensitive records concerning missing schoolboy Kyran Durnin. An inquiry identified eight breaches, including one on 17 October 2024, the day Gardaí upgraded their investigation into Kyran’s disappearance to a murder inquiry. Kyran was reported missing in August 2024, but Gardaí believe he may have died in 2022, when he was just six. Tusla’s case-management system records who opens files and requires staff to confirm a legitimate business purpose. Nevertheless, employees with no professional role in Kyran’s case accessed his confidential records. Some reportedly claimed a legitimate business reason for opening them. More than 20 staff members were examined during the inquiry. According to the newspaper, eight breaches were upheld, and further incidents were referred for investigation. The article does not identify the employees or say whether disciplinary action followed. Sources familiar with the investigation expressed concern that inappropriate access could disrupt the criminal inquiry. However, the newspaper provides no evidence that Tusla staff leaked information, interfered with evidence or obstructed Gardaí. One source characterised the incidents as staff being “nosy”; another indicated that they were considered low risk because there was no evidence of an intention to share information externally. The revelations are especially troubling given Tusla’s previous data-protection failures. In 2020 the Data Protection Commission fined the agency €200,000 over several breaches. One involved a staff member accessing records on behalf of a friend who was estranged from the person concerned. Tusla was required to improve safeguards against unauthorised access. Yet the Mail reports that Tusla failed repeatedly to honour commitments to audit staff access logs. Regular national and local auditing reportedly began only in the six months before these latest revelations, despite earlier commitments to the regulator. Tusla confirmed that management discovered the matter and that an immediate investigation was conducted. It described the incident as low risk, confirmed that breaches were upheld and referred to the Data Protection Commission, and said mandatory data-protection training for staff and contractors was being introduced. Kyran was not in State care, but Tusla had contact with him and his family and alerted Gardaí to significant concerns in August 2024. His disappearance and suspected death remain the subject of public concern. The questions for Tusla’s leadership are unavoidable. Why could staff access a missing child’s confidential records without a legitimate reason? Why were promised audits delayed? What consequences followed for those responsible? And what assurance can families have that their most private information is protected? There is no evidence in the report that staff disclosed Kyran’s information outside Tusla or compromised the Garda investigation. But accessing a vulnerable child’s records out of curiosity is itself a serious breach of trust. Tusla is entrusted with protecting children. That responsibility must include protecting their confidential information — especially during a murder investigation.

KATE DUGGAN IS CEO OF TUSLA — HOW ARE VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN STATE CARE BEING TARGETED, DRUGGED AND RAPED BY ORGANISED GANGS ON HER WATCH? An exclusive report in today’s Mail on Sunday by Debbie McCann reveals that organised criminal gangs are targeting vulnerable girls in State care, inviting them to “parties” where they are plied with alcohol and drugs before being sexually exploited and raped by predatory men. The report follows the disturbing High Court case of a 14-year-old girl in Tusla care who gardaí believe is being subjected to “horrifying” sexual exploitation by multiple men. Despite the court ordering that she be placed in special care, Tusla told the court that it could not immediately provide her with a bed. Just 15 of the State’s 26 special-care beds were reported to be open because of staffing shortages. Researcher Ruth Breslin of UCD’s Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy Institute (SERP) told the newspaper that the 14-year-old’s case is not isolated. She said organised criminal networks are deliberately targeting some of the most vulnerable children in State care. According to Breslin, gang members can discover where residential care facilities are located and target girls living there. In some cases, girls are collected in cars and taken to “parties” in private homes or hotels where groups of men are waiting. Alcohol and drugs can be involved, while some men allegedly provide drugs or money to other predatory men as “payment” for sexual access to the girls. Breslin said some of the men meet through online forums or dating apps. She warned that the scale of the problem may not be fully appreciated and said research had identified another similar case involving a child in State care. The Mail on Sunday also reports that Garda sources are dealing with cases involving teenage girls and boys in State care who are being “escorted” after being targeted through dating apps. Some female minors are reportedly being drawn into sex work to pay debts, while boys can also be victims of criminal exploitation. The newspaper links the issue to wider concerns about child trafficking. It cites a previous case involving a 14-year-old girl trafficked to Ireland from West Africa, abducted by a criminal gang from her emergency accommodation within minutes of arriving in State care, and later found locked in a brothel where she had allegedly been forced to work as a sex slave. Tusla CEO Kate Duggan told the Mail on Sunday that the agency was aware of concerns about exploitation and said there is intensive engagement with An Garda Síochána to ensure the safety of young people. A spokesperson for Minister for Children Norma Foley said the Minister was “deeply concerned” about criminal gangs targeting vulnerable children and highlighted the serious risks faced by children in the care system. The report raises a stark issue beyond the shortage of special-care beds: vulnerable children already in the care of the State are being deliberately targeted by organised criminals for sexual and criminal exploitation, with serious questions about whether the existing system is capable of identifying, protecting and safeguarding them before further harm occurs.